Just Dance 2015 – PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, Wii U – Oct. 21

Just Dance is back! It comes with a few new modes like “community remix” allowing you to record your own choreography and “dance challenger” enabling players to play against other players’ high scores. Also returning to Just Dance 2015 are “world dancefloor” and “autodance.” The latest edition to the dance series comes packing the heat with such recent popular hits as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Walk This Way.” The game features 42 songs to dance and groove to.

Fantasia: Music Evolved – Xbox 360, Xbox One – Oct. 21

In Fantasia: Music Evolved, players take on the role of Yen Sid’s new apprentice, much like Mickey Mouse was in Fantasia. As a sorcerer/sorceress in training, players must assist Yen Sid in animating the various worlds he created.

Fantasia: Music Evolved

Through rhythmic movements, life is generated into these empty worlds. Fantasia: Music Evolved takes today’s hit and old favorites and allows players to change elements of the songs as they aid Yen Sid in his goal.

The Legend of Korra – PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC – Oct. 21

Become the Avatar and wield the ability to bend all four elements of water, earth, fire and air. In The Legend of Korra, players become Avatar Korra, but in a twist, don’t start with the ability to bend. Korra has her bending abilities stripped by a chi-blocker at the beginning of the game, and must regain her bending over the course of the story. She also must face a malevolent evil, Hundun, whom was released from the spirit portals and bears a grudge against Korra. Canonically, the game takes place between the second and third season and was written by Tim Hedrick.

Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey is a sequel to The Longest Journey and Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. These two adventure games set up two parallel universes: Stark and Arcadia. Stark is a futuristic cyberpunk Earth and Arcadia is its fantasy counterpart. Dreamfall Chapters continues the story from Dreamfall: The Longest Journey with Zoë Castillo uncovering a criminal conspiracy attempting to enslave the two universes by stealing both residents’ dreams. Zoë managed to thwart the conspiracy, but paid a huge price.

Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey

Now in Dreamfall Chapters, Zoë must rebuild her life and find a new purpose. The game resulted from a successful Kickstarter project, and the scope of the game caused it to be split into two different books.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse – Wii U, 3DS – Oct. 23

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse follows up on the events of Risky’s Revenge with Shantae learning to adapt to losing her genie powers. However, it turns out her powers are not lost. Shantae’s genie magic shattered into thirty shards that fused with her nemesis Risky Boots’ crew. This caused them to grow powerful and mutinous overthrowing Risky. Now this powered up crew plans to resurrect The Pirate Master, a plan that will cause doom in Sequin Land. Now the two enemies must team up to ensure The Pirate Master doesn’t return. Shantae must utilize new powers without her genie abilities.

Bayonetta 2 – Wii U – Oct. 24

Everyone’s favorite Umbra Witch returns with a new look but with the same deadly moves. Bayonetta 2 picks up a few months after the first game where Bayonetta and Jeanne are fending off an attack on a parade by angels. In defending the city, Jeanne protects Bayonetta from an awry demon summon causing her soul to be snatched.

Bayonetta 2.

Watching Jeanne’s soul descend into Hell, Bayonetta endeavors to save her friend by entering into Hell. Bayonetta 2 features the same fast-paced action that made the first game so beloved with some new additions to keep things fresh.

Civilization: Beyond Earth – PC – Oct. 24

Sid Meier’s beloved 4X series is going to the depths of space. Beyond Earth takes place in the future where mankind experienced a huge calamity called “The Great Mistake.” To recover from this disaster, humanity explores space and settles colonies on new planets. Much of Beyond Earth will be familiar to fans of Civ V, but there are some notable differences in gameplay styles.

Civilization: Beyond Earth.

At the outset, players make choices like what kind of ship they use, who backs their expedition and who and what they bring to the new world giving players the ability to craft their own civilization instead of having a preset empire. Other differences include affinities and the tech web upgrades.

Fantasy Life – 3DS – Oct. 24

Fantasy Life is one half job-based RPG and one half life sim. It is a cross between Dragon Quest and Animal Crossing. Fantasy Life takes place in Reveria, where players are tasked with saving the land from the dangerous Doomstones wreaking havoc. The game features 12 life classes to switch between on the fly. These life classes are split between combat, gathering and crafting, so players are able to change classes for whatever task arises. Playable online with three other buddies or solo, Fantasy Life has a solid mix between an actual game and life sim.

Pokémon Art Academy – 3DS – Oct. 24

The Art Academy is getting a Pokémon-inspired spin-off. Now you can learn to draw different Pokémon thanks to the Art Academy’s teaching techniques. The game features three different skill levels for drawing. As players progress through the skill levels, they will unlock new techniques, concepts and additional tools to bring their art to life. Pokémon Art Academy also features a “free paint” and “quick sketch” mode giving players the ability to draw free hand or make quick sketches. It is the first 3DS title allowing players to share their artistic creations via the Miiverse, which will eventually support art contests.

Kalvin Martinez

Kalvin Martinez studied Creative Writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He writes reviews, prose and filthy limericks. While he is Orange County born, he now resides in Portland, OR. He is still wondering what it would be like to work at a real police department. Follow Kalvin on Twitter @freepartysubs